Chicago Tribune

Jussie Smollett case

“Might need your help on the low,” he messaged a co-worker. That text set in motion an elaborate hoax that had Chicago police working around the clock for three weeks — first to investigate an alleged hate crime, then to dismantle Smollett’s phony story, authorities said.

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Perhaps none of the 14 candidates vying to become Chicago’s next mayor knows City Hall better than Gery Chico. His resume is long on jobs rooted at 121 N. LaSalle Street. Amid all those government posts, Chico has taken spins through the revolving door into the private sector.

Attorney Gery Chico was a candidate for mayor of Chicago in 2011, finishing second in the election. Past positions include chairman of Chicago City Colleges in 2010; president of the Chicago Park District from 2007 to 2010; commissioner on the Public Building Commission as Park District president;

Chicago sports

Brewers manager Craig Counsell spoke the truth: "If Cubs fans want to fill Miller Park, there's nothing they can to do stop them ... I know for a lot of Cubs fans it’s easier to get to Miller Park than to Wrigley Field."

When Glenview resident Ellen Smith and her sisters moved their mother into a smaller apartment, her mom gave Smith a box of letters, including some from a fiance her mom barely spoke of who died during World War II.

Opinion

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson appeared before a roomful of reporters and cameras Thursday to provide details of an ugly, pointless incident: how TV actor Jussie Smollett allegedly staged a fake hate crime for the benefit of his own career.

I called it my “straw poll.” Over the last week or so I reached out to all 14 Chicago mayoral candidates asking what if anything they would do about the deplorable custom in the City Council that resulted in an advisory referendum question on the November ballot that read, “Should the City of Chicago...

Bipartisanship is a laudable goal and a noble sentiment. It also is a rare phenomenon in modern politics, so the onus will be on the administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker to prove the two-party talk of his early days in office is more than just empty rhetoric. In his budget speech Wednesday, Pritzker...

It's now being widely reported that special counsel Robert Mueller is set to wrap up his investigation and deliver a report to Attorney General William Barr as soon as next week. Which has raised a big question: How much will Barr disclose about Mueller's findings to Congress? The emerging "savvy"...

Cubs manager Joe Maddon is all ears when it comes to feedback in the clubhouse, and he expects players to act the same way. There were plenty of other topics bandied about at spring training Thursday, too.

Five takeaways from a soggy Thursday at White Sox camp: 1. The Sox said cheese. Photo day meant an early-morning arrival for players to pose for pictures, ham it up for videos and record promotional spots. The Sox then tried to beat the miserable weather — rain, wind and temps in the 40s. “Another...

The Bulls enter their game Friday night against the Magic with the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Because of a format change in the May 14 draft lottery, which takes place in Chicago, the worst three teams have an equal chance — 14 percent — at the No. 1 pick. After that, the percentages drop...

Business

Kraft Heinz Co. recorded a $15.4 billion non-cash charge to write down assets including some of its most well-known brands, a striking acknowledgment that changing consumer tastes have destroyed the value of some of the company's most iconic products. The packaged food giant's charge to reduce...

The Department of Defense is “doubling down” on UI Labs’ digital manufacturing institute with up to $60 million in new funding over the next five years for the Goose Island facility. The investment, announced Thursday, represents a renewed commitment by the Department of Defense, and keeps the...

As CBD products become more common on store shelves throughout Chicago, city officials are keeping track of businesses that say they are selling the increasingly trendy products. The move comes as officials around the country start to crack down on retailers selling certain kinds of CBD products....

Developer Sterling Bay, which once envisioned a soccer stadium at Lincoln Yards before the proposed megaproject itself became a political football, has moved closer to scoring $1.3 billion in public funds to create new infrastructure around the North Side property. The Community Development Commission’s...

Entertainment

On his previous tour, Travis Scott hopped atop a giant wing-flapping mechanical bird and swooped over the crowd. So what do you do for an encore? If you’re Scott, you turn the United Center into a giant amusement park. That’s exactly what the rapper did at a sold-out concert Thursday as he rode...

Director Stephen Daldry’s heart-stopping deconstruction of the post-war J.B. Priestley thriller “An Inspector Calls” was, for my money, one of the best English-language productions of the 1990s, a spectacular staging that blew away decades of dust and theatrical mediocrity, reclaimed a then-faded...

Peter Tork, a blues and folk musician who became a teeny-bopper sensation as a member of the Monkees, the wisecracking, made-for-TV pop group that imitated and briefly outsold the Beatles, died Feb. 21. He was 77. The death was announced by his official Facebook page, which did not say where or...

A Cook County judge scolded Jussie Smollett as he set bond Thursday at $100,000 on charges that the “Empire” actor staged an attack on himself, falsely claiming that two men called him slurs while placing a noose around his neck and beating him last month in downtown Chicago. “The most vile and...

Life & Style

Q: Your sister-in-law often vents to you about her husband — your brother. It makes you feel two-faced and guilty. How do you redirect the conversation but still make her feel supported? A: Don't be a go-between. Directness is better. Avoiding conflicts doesn't usually help a relationship. Be direct...

Following the expiration of the Violence Against Women Act last week, advocates for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence worry about the message that sends and call it a missed opportunity to provide more permanent protections for victims. The Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, first...

“Top Chef” guest judge Art Smith knows a thing or two about fried chicken. In last week’s Quickfire challenge, Smith heaped the praise on contestant Sara Bradley’s fried chicken, so you can bet the crispy bird served with corn and blackberries was downright delish. Better yet, you can try it for...

Blue Sky

Resolutions are great, and I’m a big proponent of goal-setting, but without thoughtful reflection behind them, they often fail. I read a quote the other day that I found awfully ironic and a little backwards: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.” Work and self aren’t mutually exclusive,...

If your pal or co-worker is looking for some help revising or updating their resume, the benefits could be more than just helping them polish their resume. By getting your creative juices flowing, your proofreading skills sharpened and getting your head back in a job-circuit mentality, you may...

RedEye

You'll often find Kurt Mitchell sitting at the bar at Horse Thief Hollow, his gray-haired head bent, scribbling intensely on the Beverly brewery’s napkins — just one example of his many canvasses. Another? Beer cans. A longtime Beverly resident, artist, writer and former illustrator for the Chicago...

Ask Anna is a sex column. Because of the nature of the topic, some columns contain language some readers may find graphic. Dear Anna, Can you tell me about female cumming/squirting? What is it exactly? Am I really just peeing myself? Is it common? It feels amazing. Can I ever! Let the flood gates...

Going out in Chicago can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. There’s plenty of fun to be had every week without putting a dent in your wallet. We’re making it easier for you by providing a weekly guide to free things to do throughout the city. THURSDAY, FEB. 21 Ryan North book signing at Harold...

Most read stories today

Days before Jussie Smollett told police he was the victim of a vicious racist and homophobic attack, the “Empire” star sent a cautious text to a friend, Cook County prosecutors say. “Might need your help on the low,” he messaged Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo, Smollett’s co-worker and alleged sometime...

It now appears that Jussie Smollett may have made up the story of his attack. If true, it is disgraceful and, in my opinion, inexcusable. But let’s be clear. Just because one person lied about a racist and homophobic incident does not let all bigots off the hook. This is not a reprieve for anyone...

A Cook County judge scolded Jussie Smollett as he set bond Thursday at $100,000 on charges that the “Empire” actor staged an attack on himself, falsely claiming that two men called him slurs while placing a noose around his neck and beating him last month in downtown Chicago. “The most vile and...

“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett told Chicago police last month that two men attacked him near his apartment building in Streeterville, slipping a noose around his neck and yelling racial and homophobic slurs. More than three weeks later, authorities said they now believe Smollett was lying and charged...

Things were uncertain on the set of Fox's "Empire" show: Ratings were down, and the network hadn't announced if the musical drama would be picked up for a sixth season. A major character was going to die this year, but the network hadn't revealed who that would be. But one thing was certain. Jussie...

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal includes several new taxes or tax hikes, part of a spending plan that includes more than $1 billion in new revenues. Among those who would be affected under the governor’s proposal: Vapers E-cigarettes would be taxed at 36 percent of wholesale price. Estimated...

A winning bid of $350,100 secured a rare Michael Jordan basketball card Wednesday night on eBay after a flurry of bids raised the price by nearly $150,000 in the final two minutes. “We call it a ‘holy grail’ because it’s so scarce and so desired that you just frankly never see it,” said Brent Huigens,...

Perhaps none of the 14 candidates vying to become Chicago’s next mayor knows the ins and outs of City Hall better than Gery Chico. His resume is long on jobs rooted at 121 N. LaSalle St.: research assistant at the Planning Department, attorney for the City Council Finance Committee, chief of staff...

“The question that every single person asks is why?” said CNN anchor Don Lemon. “Why?” He was speaking, of course, of TV actor Jussie Smollett, who just days ago was the celebrated survivor of pro-Trump Republican bigotry. Chicago police have a different story. They call him a liar and have charged...

Illinois State Police rescinded more than 10,000 gun licenses last year — and more than 75 percent of the revocation recipients ignored it, according to newly released data. The state agency provided the staggering figures late Thursday, as part of a trove of law-enforcement documents involving...

A Wisconsin developer who’s best known for sports stadiums wants to deck over train tracks near Soldier Field and McCormick Place and create a multibillion-dollar development, adding to a ballooning list of super-ambitious real estate projects in Chicago. Bob Dunn, who has been involved in constructing...

Here are five takeaways from Cubs spring training Thursday: 1. New year, same role for Albert Almora Jr. Shortly before Joe Maddon said Almora was “going to have a great year,” the Cubs manager intimated that Almora’s chances for more playing time might depend on the makeup of the roster — some...

The levels of ethylene oxide detected by air monitors near Sterigenics in Willowbook in January were the highest readings since the federal government began testing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA released new data Thursday suggesting that the concentrations of ethylene...

The Brewers recently held their second annual presale of Cubs game tickets for Wisconsin-residents only, a marketing gimmick created to give Cheeseheads first dibs at the teams’ 10 meetings at Miller Park this season. "If last season's Game 163 taught us anything, it's that every single game matters...

The owner of the Chicago Spire site could have another year to begin developing the lakefront site, four months after a downtown alderman rejected a proposal for two skyscrapers. The Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday voted to give developer Related Midwest until May 2020 to start construction...

Dear Readers: I’ve stepped away from the Ask Amy column for two weeks to work on a new writing project. I hope you enjoy these edited “best of” columns in my absence. The questions and answers were first published 10 years ago. Today’s topic is: wellness. Dear Amy: As a public health nurse and...

A top campaign adviser to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle apologized Thursday after invoking Nazis to criticize former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot in a Facebook post. Preckwinkle aide Scott Cisek posted a comment on Facebook after the Tribune published a story detailing Lightfoot’s...

Stephen Colbert kicked off “The Late Show” Thursday with some jokes about Jussie Smollett, the “Empire” actor accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself in Chicago last month to score a pay raise. “Police say that Smollett actually hired two brothers, who are also black, to carry...

Something important has been lost in the embarrassing saga of Jussie Smollett, the tuna fish sandwich-loving actor and anti-Trump activist, and those muscular Nigerian brothers. And I suppose it’s easy to lose what’s important with all the panic and intersectional hatred and liberal identity politics...

The Steelers made what had been long rumored official earlier this week when they hung a sign: Elite playmaker available. Inquire within. After owner Art Rooney met with disgruntled wide receiver Antonio Brown, the club announced it would seek a trade for the dangerous threat. Face-to-face trade...

As TV actor Jussie Smollett told the tale, he was the victim of a politically motivated hate crime on a downtown Chicago street at 2 a.m. on a January morning. That’s the story the Chicago Police Department investigated for more than three weeks. But on Wednesday night, authorities disputed that...

The Bulls enter their game Friday night against the Magic with the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Because of a format change in the May 14 draft lottery, which takes place in Chicago, the worst three teams have an equal chance — 14 percent — at the No. 1 pick. After that, the percentages drop...

The 2020 presidential campaign has begun in earnest, with a variety of candidates either entering the race or announcing exploratory committees that allow them to begin fundraising. The Iowa Caucuses are months away (Feb. 3, 2020) but candidates are already scrambling for momentum in a crowded...

Ellen Smith remembers the bracelets and locket her mom wore to church every Sunday. “Love, Bern” was engraved on the back of each one, and Smith, as a child, assumed they were an early gift from her dad, Bernard, to her mom, Gertrude. Although she’d never heard anyone, not even her mom, call her...

When it comes to the much-commented-on Jussie Smollett case, I have one thing to say: Kudos to the Chicago Police Department. Kudos to police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who stood before a preposterous number of cameras Thursday morning and explained how detectives methodically investigated a...